Grey and greyer. That’s a description of the Katatonian cover sleeve of Spanish band Evadne’s second album release, and with track titles like “Dreams in Monochrome” you just know it’s not going to be a whole lot of fun. But doom metal can have great impact if prepared in the right way. In fact “Dreams in Monochrome” is anything but that as while we stare into space and lose ourselves in the slow and overwhelming tragedy, there are acoustic and technical touches, adding light clouds to the melancholic air. The pattern is typically doom-laden but it’s not plodding. Instead it progresses in its relentlessly powerful way, pausing for occasional reflection before the next onslaught. The mixing and mastering is by Dan Swanö who knows his metal structures.
The album starts with the gloomily titled “No Place for Hope”. Again it deviates from the grey, starting with sad but lush guitar tones reminiscent of Novembre before exploding into typical steady-paced intensity. The changing pace and mood are like changing seasons. The storm is briefly broken up by that mellow guitar. The dark clouds gather again, and the imperious and impressive progression resumes. Despair is always present but there is transformation and we pass through an angelic choir and shadowy whisperings.
There is a clear base line to this album and that is the overpowering harsh and atmospheric doom. Although there is majesty and gravitas about it, I felt I’d got the hang of it three or four tracks in and by the seventh track “The Wanderer” I was struggling to maintain interest as I listened to the successive angry slabs. The soundwaves are strong as the drum pumps slowly and provides the heartbeat but each track re-works itself back into familiar anger as if time stands still. “TheShortest Way” is at its best when the relentless metal melancholy and darkness are disturbed. The piano section of “One Last Dress for One Last Journey” adds magnificently to the sense of isolation. Still better is “All I Will Leave Behind”, which features welcome little touches. The rich-sounding Mediterranean guitar, of which more is needed, starts off, and there’s a beautiful angelic voice which adds mystery. There’s a quietly spoken section, delivered as if it were the end of a letter. Touches like this are very powerful but atmospheric as it is, Evadne seem to be over eager to return to turbulent gravitas too quickly instead of exploiting the breadth that the delicate touches bring. Such strength is evident on the final track “GloomyGarden” where lush and mellow guitar work and the dreamy voice run through the background and add warmth to the overpowering doom. Such moments of warmth add strength. Otherwise the pace is the same. The track becomes reflective, mixing with anger and violence. Darkness and delicacy then combine to create a welcome and powerful ending.
I have no complaints on the technical front and there’s plenty of steel in this work. There needed to be more movement however in order to intensify the overall ambiance. A greater range of sounds needed to be developed to make the listener think however and keep us simultaneously uncertain and alive to the melancholic mood. “TheShortest Way” is a good album overall and has impressive moments but I felt that Evadne could have branched out more. As it stands, it doesn’t advance the doom genre very much.
(6 / 10 Andrew Doherty)
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